Push-button dispenser



May 12, 1970 F. ROUISSJELOT 3,511,419

I PUSH-BUTTON DISPENSER Filed April 15, 1968 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR FELIX ROUSSELOT ATTORNEYS May 12, 1970- F. ROUSSELOT 3,511,419

' PUSH-BUTTON DISPENSER Filed April 15, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FELIX ROUSSELOT ATTORNEYS 1 F. ROUSSELOT PUSH-BUTTON DISPENSER May 12, 1.970

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 .Filed April 15, 1968 INVENTOR FELIX ROUSSELOT BY ATTORNEYS May12,1970 F.RoussELo-r 3,511,419

PUSH-BUTTON DISPENSER Filed April 15, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR FELIX ROUSSELOT ATTORNEYS Y United States Patent Office 3,511,419 Patented May 12, 1970 US. Cl. 222-490 15 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pushbutton type dispenser for dispensing a product in a liquid or powder phase in a finely divided form. A product container for containing the product to be dispensed has a propellant cartridge within it. The propellant cartridge is suspended from a cap for the container, and a pushbutton actuated valve assembly is provided on said cap and includes a pushbutton having a Venturi nozzle therein and a stem on which said pushbutton is mounted. The assembly has three flow paths, one for the propellant and extending from said cartridge to said nozzle, a second for the product to be dispensed and extending from said container to said nozzle, and a third for air and extending from within said container to the outside of said container. A single gasket of flexible material having a plurality of projections projecting therefrom is provided, a portion of the plurality of projections being free to flex and being engaged by said stern for being flexed upon depression of said stem and being positioned in at least some of the said flow paths to obturate them, and the remainder of said plurality of said projections being supported in said valve means against flexure and engaging said valve stem. There is at least one projection of the remainder of the projections between each projection of said portion for sealing off the flow paths from each other.

This invention relates to a hand-controlled push-button dispenser, for finely-divided dispensing, particularly in spray form, of a fluid product.

This dispenser is of the kind comprising an outer container holding the product to be dispensed, an inner cartridge containing a propellant gas under pressure, particularly in the liquefied state and a triple acting valve controlled by the push-button and associated with a fitting common to the outer container and the propellant reservoir.

The purpose of the valve, when actuated, is to permit the escape of the propellant, producing an asperation of the fluid substance by a Venturi effect in a suitably arranged spray nozzle through a tube dipping into the substance to be dispensed hereinafter called the active agent. Finally, the valve ensures the opening to the atmosphere of the outer container, which is normally closed, to prevent a vacuum being caused in the container when the active agent escapes, as such a vacuum would interfere with said escape.

' The valve thus required comprises a high pressure closing means in the path of the propellant and two low pressure closing means, in the path of the active agent to be dispensed and in the path by which the outer container is opened to the atmosphere, respectively.

Dispensers of the aforesaid kind are extremely useful and in operation make it possible to obtain a fine spray. Furthermore the separation of the active agent and the propellant in the liquid state is often advantageous.

One of the drawbacks, however, of this kind of dispenser is the comparatively large number of components required to make the valve and the fact that assembly also involves a series of operations. In addition, because of the restricted travel of the push-button, a very high degree of accuracy has to *be maintained in manufacture to ensure that the three closing means work properly when the push-button is depressed. Finally, in these dispensers, some components, in particular the propellant cartridge, are generally made of metal. If the dispenser is thrown into a fire before the said cartridge is completely empty, an explosion may occur which might cause an accident through the violent discharge of pieces of metal.

This invention is particularly directed to overcoming these drawbacks and limitations.

According to the invention there is provided a pushbutton dispenser for finely-divided distribution of a product in liquid phase or powder form by means of a propellant gas contained in a cartridge which is accommodated in an outer container containing an active agent to be dispensed and which carries a valve controlled by the pushbutton, ensuring, at rest, the closing of three flow paths, the flow path of the propellant, the flow path of the active agent towards a spray nozzle, and the flow path connecting the interior of the container to the atmosphere, the said valve being of the type with a. deformable flexible gasket; characterized in that the valve comprises a single flexible gasket cut so as to define flexible projections of the said projections being flexed during movement of the push-button and constituting a part at least of the closing means of the said three circuits, while the remaining projections, held in the unflexed position, ensure the fluidtight separation of the said circuits.

Because of this arrangement the valve need have only one single gasket.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the flexible gasket is out along four radial lines, two of the projections thus formed being projections which are flexed and being separated by two fixed projections.

The two flexed projections may advantageously form the closing means for the two low-pressure flow paths.

The other flexed projection may, in turn, constitute a high-pressure closingmeans, the push-button having a duct for the passage of the propellant connected to an inlet orifice which is closed at rest by the portion of the projection in question.

The valve may further be arranged in such a way that the non-flexed projections are kept locked between a collar of the fitting carrying the said valve and radial ribs provided inside the propellant reservoir, which is also fixed on the said fitting.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by means of specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in part axial section of a first embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention, the valve being in the rest position.

FIG. 2 is a partial view similar to FIG. 1, valve in the operational position.

FIG. 3 is a view in section along the line III-III in FIG. 2.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are partial cross-sections along the lines IVIV and VV in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the single flexible gasket sectioned through a diametral plane, the said gasket being in the operational position.

FIG 7 is a section along the line VII-VII in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a partial view in section through an axial plane and on a larger scale of part of the fitting for the valve and the push-button stem, in an alternative embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a similar view to FIG. 8 on a larger scale scale showing the upper portion of the dispenser in the operational position in a further embodiment.

showing the FIG. 10 shows a still further embodiment in axial section of the propellant reservoir.

FIG. 11 is a view from below, similar to FIG. 3, of another alternative embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the flexible gasket for the embodiment of FIG. 11.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are cross-sections of the neck of the propellant reservoir and of the nozzle for the embodiment of FIG. 11.

In the embodiment of the invention which will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8 of the attached drawings there is shown the application of this invention to the production of a push-button dispenser for an active agent 1 to be dispensed, and consisting of a substance in liquid or possibly powder form. The active agent 1 is contained in an outer container 2, preferably of plastic material in the example in question.

The container 2, after filling, is closed by a cap 3, likewise of plastic material welded to it, for instance, by ultrasonic means. The cap 3 forms part of the valve fitting. It has depending from the under surface an annular collar 4 in which is held the neck 5 of the propellant cartridge 6. The said cartridge 6 is preferably made of a plastic material as impermeable as possible and resistant to the pressure of the propellant. For instance, if the propellant is a fiuorochloride hydrocarbon the cartridge 6 may be made of an acetal resin. The said cartridge may be made in one piece by injection moulding or extrusionblowing. It may also advantageously be made in two parts, joined by welding along the equatorial zone of the cartridge.

The propellant, consisting of a gas liquefied under pressure, is shown diagrammatically at 7. The neck 5 may be fixed in the collar 4 by bonding, or by ultrasonic welding of these two components, ensuring a perfectly fluid tight joint. A preferred embodiment consists of fixing the one in the other with a hot bending back of the lower portion of the collar 4 towards the edge of the neck 5.

Between the said edge of the neck 5 and an annular projection 8 provided on the inner face of the cap 3 there is accommodated a single flexible gasket 9 of special construction which will be described later. The gasket 9 has a central aperture for the passage of a stem 11 integral with a stern enlargement 12 accommodated between the said gasket 9 and partition 20 across the top of the cartridge 6 and having therein perforations 14.

The perforated partition 20 is separate from the reservoir 6. It is fitted in the neck 5 of the latter and retained by projections 30 distributed about the periphery of the said neck 5.

A spring 15 between the partition 20 and the stem enlargement 12 urges this latter against the inner face of the gasket 9 whose outer face is supported when the parts are at rest on the annular projection 8. The upper end of stem 11 is surrounded by a tubular cover depending from a push-button 13 in which is accommodated the Venturi spray nozzle 14, of a known type. In the stem tube 11 there is provided an axial duct 15a which opens into a chamber 16 of the push-button 13 in front of the convergent portion 17 of the nozzle 14. At its other end the duct opens into an aperture 18 passing through the wall of the stem 11 and which, in the rest position, is located facing the portion of the gasket 9 on the side of the internal periphery of the central aperture thereof.

The flexible gasket 9, of substantial thickness, has four diametrically opposite slots 21 cut therein (FIGS. 4 and 5), which form in the gasket four projections 22, 23, 24, 25. Two of the diametricall opposite projections 23 and 25 are supported on cast ribs 26, provided on the inner part of the neck 5, directed radially inwardly towards one another. The stem enlargement 12 has grooves 27, as shown in FIG. 4, to enable it to slide along ribs 26.

While the gasket 9 and orifice 18 form the high-pressure closing means of the valve carried by the dispenser,

the flexible projection 22 forms the movable member of the low-pressure closing means provided for the fiow path of the active agent 1. The flow path of this active agent comprises, in fact, a dip tube 28 reaching to the vicinity of the bottom 29 of the container 2. At its end the tube 28 passes through the collar 4 into a bleeder passage 31 (FIG. 3) extending along the under surface of cap 3 generally along the center of the projection 22.

The flow path of the active agent further comprises, beyond the annular projection 8, a chamber 32 into which there opens a duct 33 provided in the annular cover 10. The duct 33 consists, as shown in FIG. 7, of a radial groove made in the cover 10 starting from the bore 34 permitting the stem 11 to he slid in. The duct 33 is connected by other radial ducts 34 to the choke part of the nozzle 14.

The inlet to the duct 33 is formed, as shown in FIG. 8, by a notch 35 made through a downward extension 36 of cover 10, the lower edge of which is beveled. The outer air flow path in turn comprises a bleeder passage 37 made in the collar 4 (FIG. 3) and extending along the underside of cap 3 diametrically to the bleeder passage 31. Furthermore, beyond the annular projection 8 and the chamber 32, a second notch 38 is provided in a second downward extension of the cover 10. The notch 38 is such that when the parts are at rest, the said notch opens above the aperture 41 provided in the cap 3 for the passage of the cover depending from the push-button 13.

The dispenser has a thin lip 42 bordering the aperture 41 (FIG. 8) and directed towards the cover 10 against which it is supported, forming a flexible low-pressure clos ing means integral with the cap 3. The cap 3 also has an annular rib 43 projecting upwardly therefrom designed to restrict the travel of the push-button 13.

The dispenser thus formed acts in the following manner: if pressure is applied in the direction of the arrow F (FIG. 2) on the push-button 13, this causes the beveled edges of the downward extensions 36 and 39 to bear against the flexible projections 22 and 24 which are thus urged downwards towards the neck 5 and yield in the direction of the arrow K as shown in FIG. 2. The aperture 18 in the stem 11 is thus opened. As the propellant can easily pass between the neck 5 and the stern enlargement 12, it flows between this and the surface of the gasket 9 facing it. The propellant gas then flows through the duct 15a and escapes through the nozzle 14, producing a vacuum in the ducts 34 and 33. As the yielding of the projection 22 has caused it to move away from the annular projection 8, the bleeder passage 31 is likewise opened into the chamber 32 and the duct 33.

The vacuum is then transmitted to the dip tube 28 and the active agent 1 is separated through the said flow path through the bleeder passage 31, chamber 32 and ducts 33 and 34. The said active agent, on reaching the nozzle 14 is then atomized in a known manner.

In like manner the beveled edges of the cover at notch 38 cause the projection 24 of the gasket 9 to be bent downwardly as shown in FIG. 2. Consequently the bleeder passage .37 is opened and placed in communication with the chamber 45. The depth of the notch 38 is made such that even in the maximum depressed position part at least of the said notch 38 remains above the lip 42. Because the projection 24 is ment down, air can therefore pass through the notch 38, the chamber 45 and the bleeder passage 37 and into the container 2, thus preventing a vacuum from forming therein as a result of its being emptied.

It can be seen that the projections 23 and 25 of the gasket 9, which are held between the annular projection 8 and the radial ribs 26 of the neck 5 of cartridge 6 and which prevent any communication between the chambers 32 and 45. On the other hand the lip 42 prevents the vacuum prevailing in the duct 33 from inducting exterior air. This vacuum is therefore transmitted in toto to the tube 28.

The dispenser thus formed has substantial technical advantages. There is a considerable reduction both in the number of components and also in the number of assembly operations. The chances of malfunctioning of the valve are likewise reduced since the fiuidtightness of the liquid and the bringing into communication with the atmosphere are no longer dependent on a valve whose opening and closing are effected over a distance of a few tenths of a millimetre; on the contrary, the travel provided for the push-button is much greater in the embodiment in question. It can also be seen that all metallic components, apart from the very small spring 15, may be omitted. Now this spring is sheltered from the active agent 1, the basis of which is generally water and alcohol which frequently cause corrosion of metal parts. Furthermore, if the dispenser should explode, if for instance it were thrown into the fire before the cartridge 6 were emptied, the components, when manufactured in plastics, are so light that any risk of physical injury due to flying splinters is practically completely avoided.

Various modifications may be made in the dispenser described above without however going outside the scope of the invention. For instance, fiuidtightness between the annular cover 10 and the cap 3 can be obtained by providing a sliding fit with gentle friction between these two components.

In the embodiment in FIG. 9 the push-button annular cover is given a male taper. In fact, at 51 can be seen the conical bearing portion separating the body of the said cover from its terminal portion 52, whose diameter is less, and in which the notches 35 and 38 are made. Furthermore the central aperture 41 of the cap 3 has a frustoconical seat 53 the angle of which is slightly different from that of the bearing portion 51. When the push-button 13 is depressed, the frustoconical surfaces 51 and 53 come reciprocally into contact and ensure the desired fluidtightness.

'In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 10, the cartridge 6 consists of a dished base 55 and a tubular portion 56, the said two parts terminating in beveled edges 57 'which can embed in one another. These two parts are then welded together along the edges 57, by rotary welding or any other known method. This arrangement makes it possible to obtain cartridges of different sizes, while keeping the same upper portion 5 6.

In this variant the upper portion 56 has a cast solepiece 58 connected to the walls of the neck 5 by fingers 59 of resilient plastic material, cambered as shown. These fingers 59 act as springs and keep the sole-piece 58 in contact with the lower surface of the sliding stem enlargement 12, so that the spring can thus be omitted. This modification makes it possible to eliminate the only remaining metallic component, and furthermore it facilitates assembly by reducing the number of components tobe assembled.

To ensure that the dispenser functions correctly, it is necessary for the push-button 13, the stem 11 and its enlargement 12, the gasket 9 and the cap 3 to be positioned in relation to one another in such a way that all the flow paths provided for the active agent 1, on the one hand, and those provided for the connecting to the atmosphere, on the other, shall be in correct alignment. This may be ensured, without any special arrangements being required, by giving the gasket 9, the neck 5 and the stem 11 an elliptical shape, so that the relative positions of these members is thus accurately determined.

Another embodiment of the positioning means is shown in FIGS. 11 to 14. It consists of providing on the collar 4 a flat 61 and in the aperture 41 of the same a tooth 62. Complementarily, the gasket 9 has a flat 63, as also does the neck 5 of the cartridge 6 which is chamfered at 64. In turn, the cover 10 has a groove 65 fitting the tooth 62. It can be understood that the flat 61 ensures correct centering of the components 5 and 9 and the tooth 62 maintains, by engagement in the groove 65, the cover 10 in a 6 suitable angular orientation. As the flat 63 of the gasket 9 is made on the side of a non-flexible projection 23, it does not in any way affect the functioning of the flexible projections 22 and 24.

What I claim is:

1. A pushbutton type dispenser for dispensing a product in a liquid or powder state in a finely divided form, comprising a product container for containing the product to be dispensed, a propellant cartridge within said product container, a cap on said product container, said propellant cartridge being suspended from said cap, and pushbutton actuated valve assembly on said cap and cartridge and including a pushbutton having a Venturi nozzle therein and a stem on which said pushbutton is mounted, said assembly having three flow paths, one for the propellant and extending from said cartridge to said nozzle, a second for the product to be dispensed and extending from said container to said nozzle, and a third for air and extending from within said container to the outside of said container, and a single gasket of flexible material having a plurality of projections thereon, a portion of said plurality of projections being free to flex and being engaged by said stem for being flexed upon depression of said stem and being positioned in the said flow paths to close them, the remainder of said plurality of said projections being supported in said valve means against flexure and engaging said valve stem, there being at least one projection of the remainder of the projections between each projection of said portion of projections for sealing ofl. the flow paths from each other.

2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 in which said gasket is an annular gasket and has four radial slots there in defining four projections, two diametrally opposite projections being free to flex and the remaining two being supported against flexure.

3. A dispenser as claimed in claim 2 in which said flexible projections are positioned in the flow paths for the product to be dispensed and for the air.

4. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 in which said cap has a collar depending therefrom and said cartridge has a neck thereon engaged in said collar, said neck having inwardly extending ribs therein, said remainder of said projections on said gasket being held between the ends of said ribs and said cap.

5. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 in which said stem has a duct for the propellant therein leading to said nozzle and having an opening near the bottom thereof, said stem extending through said gasket and one of said projections which is free to flex closing said opening when the parts of the dispenser are at rest in the non-dispensing position.

6. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 in which said pushbutton has a cover depending therefrom along said stem, the lower end of said cover having a downward extension with the end beveled and engaging one of said projections which are free to flex, whereby when the pushbutton and stem are depressed, the projection is flexed, said stem and cover having a duct therein forming part of the flow path for the product to be dispensed opening through said downward extension.

7. A dispenser as claimed in claim 6 in which said cover has a further downward extension thereon with the end beveled and engaging another of said projections which are free to flex, said further downward extension having a notch therethrough for the passage of air therethrough and forming part of the flow path for the air.

8. A dispenser as claimed in claim 7 in which said cap has two bleed passages along the under surface thereof from the spaces into which the dispensed product duct and the aid notch open and extending into said container and forming part of the product and air flow paths, said cap having a depending annular projection engageable with the flexible projections when the pushbutton is in the raised position for closing said lastmentioned flow paths between the container and the product duct and the air notch.

9. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 in which said cartridge has a neck thereon engaged with said cap for suspending the cartridge from said cap, said stem having a stem enlargement thereon slidable within said neck, and spring means within said neck urging said enlargement out of said cartridge.

10. A dispenser as claimed in claim 9 in which said neck has a plurality of radially inwardly extending ribs therein engaging the bottoms of the projections which are supported against fiexure, said enlargement having grooves therein engaging over said ribs for guiding the enlargement in its sliding movement.

11. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 further having a supplementary sealing means on said cap and engaging said cover depending from said pushbutton.

12. A dispenser as claimed in claim 11 in which said sealing means in a thin flexible annular projection extending inwardly from said cap and against which said cover slides.

13. A dispenser as claimed in claim 11 in which said supplementary sealing means is a frustoconical seat on said cap, and said cover has a complementary beveled portion thereon engaging with said seat in the depressed position of said pushbutton and stem.

14. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 further including means on said stem, cap and cartridge for properly positioning the parts relative to each other for keeping the parts of the flow paths in alignment.

15. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 in which said cartridge has a neck thereon engaged with said cap for suspending the cartridge from said cap, a solepiece slidably positioned in said neck against which the end of said stem bears, a plurality of flexible fingers extending from said neck to said solepiece and urging said solepiece and said stern toward the raised position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,104,787 9/1963 Thompson 222490 3,289,949 12/1966 Roth 239579 3,401,844 9/1968 Hanson 239308 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner N. L. STACK, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

